CID pulled up again for Netai probe

The Bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice Ashim Kumar Roy asked why those named in the FIR have not been arrested till date.

Six persons were named in the FIR after nine persons died in the firing allegedly carried out by CPM cadres. Those named in the FIR were CPM local committee members Abani Singh and Aswani Chalak,CPM Zonal Committee members (Binpur) Joydev Giri and Tapan Dey,CPM district committee member Fullora Mondal and a party worker Suven Mondal. While the police have arrested Suven,they have also taken one Naba Gopal Sanki,not named in the FIR,in their custody.

Advocate General Bolai Roy,appearing for the CID,told the court that apart from Suven the remaining five persons named in the FIR are absconding and they have possibly managed to sneak into other states. The Bench then asked why the agency did not publish their photographs in newspapers and other media. Bolai,however,said that the CID initially tried to track their cellphone numbers but without any success and also conducted raids in the area. He assured the court that the agency would be able to arrest them soon.

The Bench,meanwhile,reminded that the chargesheet has to be filed within 90 days. The High Court once again told the CID that if it fails to make substantial progress in the probe,the case could be handed over to some other agency.

Earlier in the day,the CID urged the Bench not to disclose the report,citing vital clues in it which if made public could hamper the ongoing investigation. The court has fixed February 15 for the next hearing in the case.

‘No armed camps of political parties’

State Home Secretary G D Gautam in his affidavit to the High Court has stated that police have not found any armed camps run by political parties in the three districts of —West Midnapore,Bankura and Purulia. The police had carried raids in the districts in the aftermath of Netai killings. Gautam,however,added that some fire arms and ammunitions were recovered from a few villages in West Midnapore.

Panel to monitor mid-day meal scheme in Midnapore

Hearing PIL on irregularities in the mid-day meal scheme in the schools of West Midnapore district,the Calcutta High Court suggested to the state government that the high-power committee to monitor the scheme in Kolkata should also monitor the scheme here.

The court had set up a high-power committee headed by secretary School Education department in Kolkata last August. The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice J N Patel today proposed the same committee could monitor the mid-day meal scheme in West Midnapore. The state government did not oppose the HC proposal.

“West Midnapore Bhumija Kalyan Samiti had filed a PIL in last September alleging poor implementation of the mid-day meal scheme in Salboni and Goaltore due to violence in the area. The petition had mentioned the names of 24 schools in the areas where students were deprived of the mid-day meals.